Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-12-09
The Last Christmas" Tree.

covered emigrant wagon. drawn by
q pair of tired gray mules, appeared
up the road that led by the Kilburn
| farmhouse.
A crowd of rosy faces at once
swsrmed at the kitchen window, and
Mrs. Kilburn herself, in the back
ground, looked out over the heads oi
her fock. Now it was not the first
time they had seen an emier mt
wagon. The sight was rather a com
mon one on this Colorado plain,
across which the shadow of the great
Rockies were stretching in the early
twilight; but there was something in
the appearance OF this particular We.
hicle which distinguished it from any
of the hundreds which bsd passed
that way. From out its dingy cover,
over the head Of the driver, a bright,
dark green bough extended, Dodding
and swaying to the jolting of the
wagon and giving gypsy touch OF
cheer TO the otherwise common "out-
fit
"Dea. me-" said Mrs. Kiiburn at
last, with her eyes on this unusual
object, ''if those folks haven't put ont
a BIT of Christmas green ! Poor souls,
they have tried to ch er themselves
up, and | should think they would
want TO, making their way over the
country st this time of year"
AS sbe spoke, the gray mules came
to standstiil, and the children at
the window. moved BY o natural cur
iosity, started towards the door.
There's no need of you all running, "
she said; "most likely they only
want to inquire their way. "Apd
Tom can tell them that" she added
exempliog the tall boy who was al
ready out of the hoHse
Toms curiosity had received an
impetus from his observation that the
driver OF the mules, the only occu-
pant Of the wagon in sight, was lad
about his own age. Tbe two greet
ed each other with cordial "huil0s
Then the stranger, leaning a sharp
sunburned face towards Tom, demand
Want to buy a Christmas tree?" a
Chris m .s tree repeated Tom, he drew
nearer lhe front Of the wagon and per
eivedtbat the evergreen ensign was q
partof a small pine tree which stood
somewhat back He saw, too, g
child's face peepiag shyly out at him
from among the branches, and ID slea-
der, daak-eyed woman also rose su1-
denly into view beside il. Tom was
too much absorbed for the moment to
attempt to answer the lad's question.
Ii was his father's voice sounding
from the barn-door which broke the
silence:
"What do you say? Got Christ
mas-tree to SELF" Father Kilburn
came tor ward with pitchfork in his
hand and generous sprinkling of
hay upon his sturdy figure.
YES" answered the boy in the
wagon, "and we'll let you have it
cheap" and the dark eyed woman be-
hind him went on eagerly, ''It's the
very last one we've got and not so
big as some, but it's right trim and
green. Don't your folks want it?'
| reckon every ybody likes to have a
tree at Christmas"
Why, yes, guess they'd like to
have it, responded the farmer cheer
fully. "It's q good while since
they've had one. Run in, Tom, and
see what your mother says"
Tom returned to the house and dis
patched his errand with alacrity, add
ing, spa says we may have it if you
say So"
"Ob, you'll Say So won't you,
MAJ" cried the children in chorus,
dancing about their mother AID
twitching her dress on all sides as
If to hasten her decision.
Yes, I'll say So said Mrs. Kill
burn. at would seem like old times
TO have q Christmas-tree. / only
wish we had the things to fix it up
as it onght to be-" she added, signing
a little at the remembrance of the
wax candles aud the pretty tinseis
which che had been accustomed to
use rs decorations when she lived
back East
20 ma" cried Reba, bright girl
of fourteen. "l'm sure we can make
that tree look just lovely with strings
Of popcorn and cranberries end
buncbes OF tissue-paper flowers.
They're plenty to trim with, and you
know there are lots Of presents to put
on to it."
"Well," said Mrs KilburD, "you
may tell your iather that I'd be glad
to have tue tree if he's in the notion
Of buying"
Tom faced about again "And l
guess those folks'Il be glad to sell il, "
he said. "Tbe woman acted as if
she pretty anxious"
"What woman?" demanded his
mother.
"Why, the woman that's back in
the wagon. There's woman and "a
child"
Mrs. Kilburn set down the dish Of
raisins she wss seeding for to-mor-
rows pudding, drew her head
and went out, followed by all the
children.
Farmer Kilburn, his foot on the
hub OF the wagon wheel, was holding
conversation with the travellers. i
e'pose you came down from the
mountainsW he was saying at that
moment.
From Bed Rock" answered the
boy, naming small mining camp
some twenty miles distant among
the mountains
Business pretty lively up thore?''
qreried the farmer.
"Not 30 lively as while back" an.
swered the boy with shake Of his
head. 1.-THE Silver Belt has shut
down.
That was the reason we started out
with Christmos trees spoke up the wo
man ave hadn't anything to do, me
and Davy. You see he's been hauling
ore for the Silver Belt folks and Ive
been boasding some of the hands
And when they shat down we was
both throwed ont OF work, and we
didn't know where the money TO live
on wss coming from. Then it came
into my head abcat Christmas trees
unarata rlautv af Iem to mad for the